The Book of First Timothy : Message Forty Five
By Dr. Michael Guido, D.D.
One day a boat load of men fled from Cuba and arrived four days and four nights afterward at a tiny harbor off the coast of Mexico. The leader of the group said, "We don't want to sit here and eat ham and eggs. We want to fight!" Fleeing, feeding and fighting - that's the issue that's facing Christians today. We must feed our souls as regularly as we feed our bodies. But we must not spend all of the time feeding and none of the time fleeing or fighting!
There's a time to flee. Someone has said, "One pair of heels is sometimes worth two pairs of hands." In some circumstances, it's safest to flee. That's the only way to get out of Satan's snares. Ask Joseph! His brothers, boiling with anger and envy, sold him into slavery in Egypt. But the Lord was with him and gave him favor with the king. But the king's wife fell for him, and tempted him, but he wouldn't yield. One day as he was doing his work, and no one was around, she caught hold of him by his clothing and fiercely tempted him. But the Bible says, "He fled, and got out of the house." Yes, there's a time to flee, as well as to fight. Run away from evil and from anything that gives you evil thoughts. Thomas Coke wrote:
"My hope, my all, my Savior Thou, to Thee, lo, now my soul I bow!
In fierce temptations' darkest hour, I'd flee from sin and Satan's power."
Just as there's a time to flee, so there's a time to fight. When General Douglas MacArthur died, we lost one of our greatest generals. Writing about him, one declared, "General Douglas MacArthur was 'born to battle.'" Of the Christian it may be said, that he, too, has been "born to battle." For it's written in 1st Timothy 6:12, "Fight the good fight of faith."
Let's take a good look at our opponents. The Bible says, "We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies - the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world." What foes we must fight!
"Oh," but you ask, "does the Lord have anything to offer us for our protection?" He has. A congressman was having a difficult time explaining his vote on a certain measure that was objectionable to the right-minded members of his district. At last he cried in desperation, "But gentlemen, you don't understand the outside pressure brought to bear on a man in my position." "Outside pressure!" cried an old sea captain. "Where are the inside braces?" The inside braces are made of a very strong substance. They're set firmly in place, and they're able to stand up under the hardest pressure that's on the outside. Now the Christian has inside braces. What are they? The words of our Lord. Exclaimed the Psalmist, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee." But what of the outside? Is there any protection? There is. The armor of God. The Bible says, "Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up. But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God's approval. Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan, and you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit - which is the Word of God."
Now let's look at our object. The Bible says, "Fight the good fight of faith." It's a war to advance the faith. It's a constant conflict to plant the flag of the Lord Jesus Christ in the lives and lands where Satan's flags are flying. Have you gained any ground for God this day? Have you liberated any lives and lands that have been enslaved by the evil one?
"My soul, be on thy guard - ten thousand foes arise;
The hosts of sin are pressing hard to draw thee from the skies."
"O watch and fight and pray, the battle ne'er give o'er;
Renew it boldly every day, and help divine implore."
"Ne'er think the vict'ry won nor lay thine armor down;
The work of faith will not be done till thou obtain thy crown."
"Fight on, my soul, till death shall bring thee to thy God;
He'll take thee, at thy parting breath, to His divine abode."
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic Association
All Scripture verses are quoted from the New King James Version..
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This series of messages on the books of the Bible were originally written for broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The Sower." They are collected and reprinted here for your enjoyment and spiritual edification.